'64 rear wheel bearings

[garth64]

i'd like to repack my rear wheel bearings; any advice? how difficult a job is it?

 

[61 Silver]

rear wheel bearings

On the restoration process for my 65 I found this to be the hardest process of all. I am currently restoring a 63 and plan on send the trailing-arm assemblies out to the people that have the correct equipment and knowledge.



Ray

 

[allcoupedup]

You need special tools to remove and reassemble. You also need special tools to measure run-out so you can readjust. Most guys doing this only once or twice in a lifetime farm this job out. AS mentioned above, it is one of the more difficult items to R&R on a C2.

Most guys remove the trailing arms and send them in to a specialist. Some people have the spindles removed with the trailing arm on the car and everything repaired. If your bushings are in good shape and your alignment is good, I'd go the on-the-car route. If not, might as well remove and send them in.

I can see that someone replaced the left spindle on my '65. They did it with the trailing arm ON the car because the spindle/bearing is new and the trailing arm is all dirty with surface rust and my bushing is shot..... dumb.

Brian

 

[WayneC]

Without some very specialized tools, rebuilding the rear bearings is a trial & error setup job requiring numerous disassembly/reassembly attempts to get the shims right; each time you disassemble/reassemble you run a high risk of damaging something. It's just not worth the trouble and risk....

I had mine done here:
http://www.vansteel.com/

I've heard good things about this rebuilder, too:
http://www.bairs.com/

 

[garth64]

thanks for the response; i was just going through the whole car as far as fluids and lube is concerned, so i really don't know if these bearings need to be looked at or not; i've just come from a solid axle '61 and am new to this type of suspension.

 

[Subfixer]

I got mine done at Bair's, not because I had a bearing problem, but because I wanted peace of mind. Now I know when they were done last and should last me many years of daily driving.

By the way, welcome to the forum. 64's rule!!